Thoughts on other authors using your character?

[CalBishForNow]

I think it's allowable to tangentially, or slightly, reference other authors here.

Of course. (Or at least, I hope so!) On one occasion I named characters after characters in another writer's story and acknowledged it was an homage in an Afterword. I didn't get any complaints about that. My characters have some explicit differences from the other writer's characters, so even without the Afterword I feel like it might have been okay; writers reference other writers all the time.

 

[AlinaX]

No self proclaimed author here has read any of my crap (not that I would want them to) and if they did, I doubt that they would find one character interesting enough to use in their own stories

Gypsy Lake is quite well done. Didn’t go where or how I expected.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Gypsy Lake is quite well done. Didn’t go where or how I expected.

It’s a great concept, right?

 

[DEFCOM5]

Gypsy Lake is quite well done. Didn’t go where or how I expected.

Thank you. Really appreciate the comment. It is the story I am the proudest of.

Second one is Failed Exam. This is why I have them in my signature.

It’s a great concept, right?

That was the first work EM edited.

You should have seen my first submission to her.

 

[EmilyMiller]

That was the first work EM edited.

You should have seen my first submission to her.

I didn’t change your fundamental concept though, did I?

 

[DEFCOM5]

I didn’t change your fundamental concept though, did I?

No you did not. But you took something that was barely readable and helped me transform it into the best thing I ever written.

 

[EmilyMiller]

No you did not. But you took something that was barely readable and helped me transform it into the best thing I ever written.

 

[liliput1]

Absolutely a wiki would be better, but as far as I know Lit doesn't have one and I'm not up for hosting and managing one, so threads to poke through is the best I can think of. Of course, that assumes anyone is interested in using them for anything more than just dumping things off.

What's the situation with editing existing comments?

How long and how often can you keep updating a post to collect new information?

Like what if you had the stream of consciousness chat inline, then someone writes a summary and the summary gets linked or pasted into a top level comment? That's a lot more work for the curator but would survive more polar bears.

 

[anthrodisiac]

What's the situation with editing existing comments?

How long and how often can you keep updating a post to collect new information?

Like what if you had the stream of consciousness chat inline, then someone writes a summary and the summary gets linked or pasted into a top level comment? That's a lot more work for the curator but would survive more polar bears.

*shrugs* Nobody's really using it despite me mentioning it. Couple takers, but that's about it. People can do what they want, man, I just provided the space for it.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I certainly wouldn't like anyone using my characters in their stories. If they want to create one like one of mine, so be it. However, change them from my character to your character and give them a different name than mine.

 

[RoyalAuthor]

I would have no problem with an author (with permission, of course) throwing in easter eggs to my stories or world-building. I'd share that all day. In fact, there are a few of my favorite authors here whom I will one day ask for permission to borrow a fake brand or setting as an easter egg in tribute to their works.

When it comes to borrowing characters, even if someone else could write it better, it just wouldn't be the same character because no one can borrow your voice. Hard pass, unless they were asking for my help writing the character and the scenes they appeared in - then I might consider it.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I'd be fine with an easter egg, if they asked, but not the whole damn chicken, the rooster, and sex scene between them! EEEwwwweee!

I would have no problem with an author (with permission, of course) throwing in easter eggs to my stories or world-building. I'd share that all day. In fact, there are a few of my favorite authors here whom I will one day ask for permission to borrow a fake brand or setting as an easter egg in tribute to their works.

When it comes to borrowing characters, even if someone else could write it better, it just wouldn't be the same character because no one can borrow your voice. Hard pass, unless they were asking for my help writing the character and the scenes they appeared in - then I might consider it.

 

[EmilyMiller]

When it comes to borrowing characters, even if someone else could write it better, it just wouldn't be the same character because no one can borrow your voice.

Beg to differ - I call @Djmac1031’s Cozbi to the stand

 

[Djmac1031]

Beg to differ - I call @Djmac1031’s Cozbi to the stand

So I ran this by Cozbi, which was, of course, a huge mistake.

She's...um, VERY insistent... that i pass along the following message:

"Cozbi the She-Demon here.

Listen, blondie, you're cute and all, and have more than a passing resemblance to my current angelic afterlife partner.

But honestly? I think both you and this DJ character are both fucking hacks. You only THINK you know me. But what could you possibly know about the REAL me other than rumors and legends and myths?

Go back to writing your little jerk off stories, both of you, and leave the matters of Heaven and Hell to the grownups. Now piss off, I'm late for my spa appointment. "

 

[EmilyMiller]

So I ran this by Cozbi, which was, of course, a huge mistake.

She's...um, VERY insistent... that i pass along the following message:

"Cozbi the She-Demon here.

Listen, blondie, you're cute and all, and have more than a passing resemblance to my current angelic afterlife partner.

But honestly? I think both you and this DJ character are both fucking hacks. You only THINK you know me. But what could you possibly know about the REAL me other than rumors and legends and myths?

Go back to writing your little jerk off stories, both of you, and leave the matters of Heaven and Hell to the grownups. Now piss off, I'm late for my spa appointment. "

So funny.

I was thinking of posting a me and Cozbi convo, but had meetings .

Hey, she fucked Amy and now I feel left out

 

[DEFCOM5]

"Cozbi the She-Demon here.

Listen, blondie, you're cute and all, and have more than a passing resemblance to my current angelic afterlife partner.

But honestly? I think both you and this DJ character are both fucking hacks. You only THINK you know me. But what could you possibly know about the REAL me other than rumors and legends and myths?

Go back to writing your little jerk off stories, both of you, and leave the matters of Heaven and Hell to the grownups. Now piss off, I'm late for my spa appointment. "

This is why I LOVE Cozbi

 

[Djmac1031]

What if it was in a dream? Serious question: I'm considering having a character fall asleep while reading literotica and dream herself observing and maybe meeting characters from stories. I wasn't necessarily thinking of your characters, but I'm interested in your view.

https://www.literotica.com/s/unconventional-11

@EmilyMiller and I have both done variations on this. Her Unconventional, linked above, is just one.

I have a new story publishing tomorrow called I Dream Of Jenna, where "I" have a dream about being with one of my most favorite and popular characters, Jenna. Along with... a special guest...

I inserted myself into my Lit Con story last year as well. When Cozbi Met Amy , while not written as a dream, has my She-Demon character meeting and hooking up with Emily's character Amy, briefly interacting with @FreyaGersemi 's character Freya Prossa, and in the end, having a drink and a conversation with me at the convention bar.

It's all very meta of course.

 

[EmilyMiller]

@EmilyMiller and I have both done variations on this. Her Unconventional, linked above, is just one.

I have a new story publishing tomorrow called I Dream Of Jenna, where "I" have a dream about being with one of my most favorite and popular characters, Jenna. Along with... a special guest...

I inserted myself into my Lit Con story last year as well. When Cozbi Met Amy , while not written as a dream, has my She-Demon character meeting and hooking up with Emily's character Amy, briefly interacting with @FreyaGersemi 's character Freya Prossa, and in the end, having a drink and a conversation with me at the convention bar.

It's all very meta of course.

Don’t ever do psychoanalysis, OK ?

 

[bi_cathy]

Is it ok to answer this with "I don't know"?

I OK'ed a mention of a character by an author I trust. I refused someone I didn't know translating one of my stories to another language (even though I speak that language and could've made sure it was fine). I'll decide, depending on the situation, what I'm fine with and what I'm not. And my position might even change with time, because having preset decisions and thoughts about everything is not how I work.

 

[HelenL]

It would depend on which character and what use they would be put to. I like reusing my own characters in a shared world because I can show some of their progress without having to write a sequel, which is always risky and sometimes disappointing after a HEA. I certainly wouldn't want anyone else to write a sequel. On the other hand, using someone else's character for color in a story I think can be fascinating. I wanted to borrow @THBGato's characters because they are very real and including Sarah and Samantha as significant side characters definitely made my story ("Casual") richer. I wrote Samantha as close as I could to her own stories, and had @THBGato review and veto her part. And I'd be happy to share my characters for the same purpose.

Allowing someone else to develop a main character, though, no, I don't think I could ever do that. I know too much about them that isn't written down, that nobody else could know, so they'd have to get it wrong. And I don't care for sequels, or AU stories.

On the other hand there are minor characters that I've never planned to do anything with that I wouldn't mind seeing what might happen to them. And one manipulative cheater who will never get a happy-ever-after from me who I'd be quite happy to give away. Or the protagonists of "Step-Something" are always looking for adventure, and I don't really care who writes it for them. I doubt I'll ever finish the series. So if it isn't modifying the character arc of a main character I care about, I'd be up for extending my shared world.

 

[Stanfield2025]

It would depend on which character and what use they would be put to. I like reusing my own characters in a shared world because I can show some of their progress without having to write a sequel, which is always risky and sometimes disappointing after a HEA. I certainly wouldn't want anyone else to write a sequel. On the other hand, using someone else's character for color in a story I think can be fascinating. I wanted to borrow @THBGato's characters because they are very real and including Sarah and Samantha as significant side characters definitely made my story ("Casual") richer. I wrote Samantha as close as I could to her own stories, and had @THBGato review and veto her part. And I'd be happy to share my characters for the same purpose.

Allowing someone else to develop a main character, though, no, I don't think I could ever do that. I know too much about them that isn't written down, that nobody else could know, so they'd have to get it wrong. And I don't care for sequels, or AU stories.

This almost made me change my mind on letting people use my main characters, but I'd still like to see how people interpret my characters. Even if it's wrong, I can just deem the story non-canon or soft canon. Kinda like a video-game tie-in to a movie franchise or something.

The part about doing a story after the HEA is funny, cause my favorite story to write takes place after a traditional HEA.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Allowing someone else to develop a main character, though, no, I don't think I could ever do that. I know too much about them that isn't written down, that nobody else could know, so they'd have to get it wrong.

I’ve let @Djmac1031 write several of my characters, including a fictionalized version of me. He’s done the same they other way around. @PennyThompson has let me write a [highly] fictionalized/modified version of her twice (that was easy, right, hun ?)

The difference I think is sharing ideas before I write them, and then sharing text snippets as I write them, and letting the other party make revisions/additions/deletions. That way they still have control. But it does lengthen the writing process considerably.

 

[PennyThompson]

@PennyThompson has let me write a [highly] fictionalized/modified version of her twice (that was easy, right, hun ?)

Well, it did spark a new and unexpected interest in tentacles...

 

[Djmac1031]

I’ve let @Djmac1031 write several of my characters, including a fictionalized version of me. He’s done the same they other way around.

in fairness, I think the reason it works for us is, we've both been very heavily involved in each other's stories throughout the process, from idea to rough draft to final edit.

So we've come to know each other's characters very well.

Ive watched your characters Emma and Lily evolve from the earliest stages to grow into more complicated characters over time, each with unique and distinct personalities.

So when it came time for me to write them into my story, I had a very good feeling for who they were at that stage.

And of course you were still involved, screening everything, offering suggestions, pointing out where I didn't get it right, highlighting where I did etc.

So its not like we just picked some character at random and decided to wing it. Its been quite a long process.

 

[EmilyMiller]

in fairness, I think the reason it works for us is, we've both been very heavily involved in each other's stories throughout the process, from idea to rough draft to final edit.

So we've come to know each other's characters very well.

Ive watched your characters Emma and Lily evolve from the earliest stages to grow into more complicated characters over time, each with unique and distinct personalities.

So when it came time for me to write them into my story, I had a very good feeling for who they were at that stage.

And of course you were still involved, screening everything, offering suggestions, pointing out where I didn't get it right, highlighting where I did etc.

So its not like we just picked some character at random and decided to wing it. Its been quite a long process.

Agree totally